Lightning-arrester.



R. P. JACKSON.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER. APPLICATION IILEI) OUT, 8, 1910.-

1,031,795 PatentedJulyQlQlQ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN ENTUH 1 A TTORNEY.

R. P. JACKSON.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED ooT. s, 1910.

WITNESSES 4 WWW ATTORNEY UNITED STATES arnum orrron.

RAY r. JACKSON, or swrssvAnn; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, T0 WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

LIG TNIN-G-ARRESTEB.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application-filed October 8, 1910.Serial No. 586,078.

atented July 9, 1912.

My invention relates to lightning arrest crs and it has specialreference to such de vices of this character as are adapted forrelatively low-voltage service.

The object of my invention is to-provide a simple and durable device ofthe character above indicated that shall embody spe-' cially constructedarcing 'members and a magnetic blow-out for extinguishing the electricarcs which maybe formed between the arcing members upon the occurrenceof a staticdischarge.

For relatively low-voltage service, it is desirable, in order to secureadequate protection by means of a lightning arrester, to set the opposedarcing members very closely together, but, if the members are rigidlyfixed ataslight distance apart, a magnetic blow-out does not operatereadily in disrupting the are. It has, accordingly, been my aim toprovide opposed arcing members which will be automatically separatedwhenan electricarc is formed between them.

. According to my present invention, I provide a lightning arresterhaving opposed arcing members, each of which consists of a horn-shapedend member and a yielding shank, to which the end memberis secured, thetwo shanks being connected electrically to terminal members to whichthey are riveted, or otherwise secured, and the two horns being/adjacentto each other and diverging outwardly. The two horns are constructed ofcopper, or other conducting material, and are located in a magneticfield produced by a suitable blow-out coil.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagrammatic View of alightning arrester embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation, and Fig. 3 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of myinvention, with the frame open.

Referring to the drawings, the structure here shown comprises a frame orboxcomposed of two hinge-connected parts 1 and 2. a pair of terminalmembers 3 and 4 secured to an insulating plate or base 5 of the part 1,opposed arcing members'6 and 7 yield-, ingly connected to the terminalmembers 3 and 4 by means of spring shanks 8 and 9, a blow-out magnetcoil 10 and a resistor 11. The blow-out magnet coil 10 and the resistor11 are both secured to the part 2, the coil 10 being so located, withreference to the-members 6 and. 7, that a magnetic field is produced atthe point of minimum area gap between the members when electric currenttraverses the said coil. The part 1 of the box is provided with an arcchute 12 which is similarv in construction to t e are chutes ordinarilyfound in magnetic blowout switches, car circuit breakers and the like.The members 6 and 7 are separated by a rib or projection 13f'on the base5, having an enlargement 14 at its -tree end. The arcing member 7 isprovlded with a set screw 15 which projects through the member andengages the enlargement 14 of the projection 13 to prevent the arcingmembers from vibrating into"engagement with each other, the member 6being l'imited,'either in the same manneror directly by the enlargement14. I I

The circuit connections for the device are shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, to which special reference. may now be had. One terminal 16 ofthe resistor 11 and one terminal of the blow-out-coil 10 are connectedtogether and to a circuit conductor 17, the opposite'terminals of-theresistor'and the coil being joined to the arcing member 6, and the otherarcing member 7 being connected to circuit conductor 18. The arrangementof parts is such that, under normal conditions. no current traverses theblow-out coil or any part of the arrester, but, when a discharge takesplace between the members 6 and 7, a circuit is completed through theblow-out coil and the resistor, in multiple, and across the air gapbetween the members 6 and 7, The are which is produced between themembers is choked by the magnetic field produced by the coil 10, and thetorque exerted by the magnetic flux upon the members 6 and 7, by reasonof the current flowing through them, forces "the arcing members slightlyapart and assists in'disrupt-ing the arc. By dividing the box into twohinge-connected parts and mounting certain members on each part, theyare all readily 1 within the spirit and scope of my invention, and Idesire that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated inthe appended claims.

I claim. as myinvention: a

1. A lightning arrester comprising a pair of opposed yielding dischargemembers and means for producing a magnetic field between said members toforce them apart and extinguish such arcs as may be formed between them.

2. A lightning arrester comprising a pair of opposed horn-shaped arcingmembers, yielding shanks therefor, means for producing a magnetic fieldin the vicinity of the members and adjustable means for determining theminimum air gap between them.

3. A lightning arrester comprising a pair of yielding arcing members,means for determining the minimum air gap between them, and a magneticblow-out coil, energized when a discharge takes place across the gap,for influencing the yielding members and extinguishing the are.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th dayof Sept,

RAY P. JACKSON, Witnesses R. J. DEARBORN, B, B. HINEs.

